Robert Zemeckis' 3D motion-capture version of "A Christmas Carol" topped the North American box office Friday with a solid $8.9 million in ticket sales. Opening at 3,683 locations, the Walt Disney release scored an average of $2,433 per theater.

New entry "The Fourth Kind" also delivered a decent start at the box office, pulling in $5 million from ticket sales at 2,527 locations. Based on actual case studies, the film stars Milla Jovovich as a psychologist investigating unstable patients in Alaska.

At No. 3, Grant Heslov's comedy "The Men Who Stare at Goats" brought in $4.6 million. The film started its theatrical run at 2,443 locations and stars George Clooney as an eccentric solider who claims he's a psychic spy with paranormal powers.

Meanwhile, Michael Jackson's "This Is It" took home another $4.1 million Friday, lifting its total gross to $48 million after a little more than one week in release. The Sony documentary's theatrical run has been extended until Thanksgiving.

Also opening this week was Richard Kelly's "The Box," which only made it to No. 5 with a daily gross of $2.8 million at 2,635 locations. Cameron Diaz and James Marsden star in the thriller about a couple forced to make a terrifying decision.

Source: Box Office Mojo (www.boxofficemojo.com)